Arizona school investigates chair-taping claim

PHOENIX 
A second grade teacher in Tucson has been removed from the classroom and an investigation is underway amid accusations that the educator taped a young girl to her chair as punishment, school officials said Wednesday.

"We take these things very seriously. Obviously such behavior is not appropriate or acceptable and is not part of any district protocol," said Tucson Unified School District spokeswoman Cara Rene. "If it is found this behavior did take place, than the appropriate disciplinary action will be taken."

Rene declined to provide further details pending the outcome of the school's investigation. The school district has not released the teacher's name.

The incident was first reported by KGUN-TV this week.

The girl's mother, Maria Vasquez, was outraged and said her daughter suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

"She likes to be happy, and they tied her to a chair," Vasquez told the television station. "Regardless if it was a little tape - she got tied to a chair where she couldn't move. That's not right."

Vasquez said her daughter told her the teacher taped her to the chair after becoming upset that the girl was getting up to sharpen her pencil too many times last week at Hollinger Elementary School.

Vasquez has reported the incident to the Tucson Police Department. Police Sgt. Chris Widmer said an investigation is ongoing.